In a few short months, the entire world has been turned upside down. There are no traffic jams, most people are not rushing off to work because they are working at home or have lost their job. Millions of people have lost their health insurance. Educational institutions are facing serious economic challenges for their sustained futures. Students of all ages are either out of school or learning via technology.
There is some positive news. If you happen to live in Franklin County, small farms are gaining a wider visibility because of the availability of locally sourced farm products. Small businesses are being forced to re-create their business model in order to survive the pandemic. Technology is the main conduit of communication. A new appreciation is being gained for those people who work at the front lines, many of them making a minimum wage. Where is all this leading to?
Every day you have to ask yourself, how has the United States become the world leader in coronavirus deaths and become the most dysfunctional country in the western world? The United States has been at war for most of my life. Over the years, the politically elite have stifled the ability to provide Medicare for all, while every year Republicans and Democrats alike have the best health insurance plans. They serve the public without term limits or accountability. These same politicians pass massive defense and war budgets, without any consideration to budget deficits. We have thousands of lobbyists hustling their special interests while providing money for our politician’s re-election. How it is our politicians have the ability to invest in the stock market without the same legal constraints you have.
So you see where I am heading, our government is not working except for the rich, who somehow keep doing better even in this pandemic. I would suggest the only way to make our government work is to make changes. We need to have term limits and hold politicians accountable, eliminate special interest lobbyists, allow every American to vote by mail, insist on environmental protections which will safeguard our commons, be the world leader in dealing with the climate crisis, develop an American economy not dependent on foreign nations for our safety, develop a tax system which works not only for the rich, but will allow enough revenues to support those people in need, while at the same time forcing the federal government to operate on a balance budget.
Our government has failed the people.
Don Simms is an entrepreneur, designer and artist living in Northfield.